The creators of JewCE – the Jewish Comics Experience – announced nine award categories and a prestigious list of eleven judges for November’s upcoming convention, dedicated to celebrating Jewish culture and its impact on the world of comics and pop culture.
The convention was created by – and will be held at – the Center for Jewish History, home to the world’s largest and most comprehensive archive of the modern Jewish experience outside of Israel. Slated for 11 and 12 November, it will bring together fans, creators and industry professionals to explore the rich history and contributions of diverse Jewish creators and characters in the comic medium.
The convention will recognise artists and creators in nine categories as part of its “JewCie Awards.” The first ceremony ever held in celebration of Jewish comics, the JewCie Awards will support JewCE’s mission by honouring the creators of Jewish comic book narratives, themes, and characters. The awards will serve as a platform to acknowledge and celebrate the unique contributions of artists, storytellers, and creators who have invested their talents and passion into Jewish storytelling through the medium of comics.
JewCE co-creator and Academic and Public Programs at the Center for Jewish History director Dr Miriam Mora said, “As we get closer to our upcoming convention in November, we are thrilled to see the outpouring of excitement from creators and artists to everyday comic book fans around the world. This event is designed to involve fans and creators from all walks of life and across diverse communities. The recognition and celebration of major contributions to Jewish comics not only validate the artists’ work but also inspire others to explore and express their own Jewish identity and experiences through the comic medium. We are honoured and humbled to have secured this panel of distinguished judges and look forward to the selection process over the next few months leading up to the convention.”
JewCiE Awards chair Danny Fingeroth said, “It wasn’t until I sat down and looked at the JewCiE Awards nominees lists that I fully realised just how many amazing Jewish-themed comics and graphic novels there are out there. I hope the nominations and eventual awards bring much-deserved attention to these important works and to Jewish comics in general.”
The final determination of awardees in each of the categories is expected sometime in October, a few weeks before the convention.
The nine JewCie awards are:
- Macherke Award for Career Contributions to Jewish Comics
- JewCie Artist Honoree of the Year
- JewCie Writer Honoree of the Year
- JewCie Book Award in Diverse Jewish Representation
- JewCie Award for Historical Narratives
- JewCie Award for Autobiographical Content
- JewCie Award for Contemporary Topics
- JewCie Award for Fictional Narratives
- JewCie Combating Prejudice Award|
This year’s JewCie Awards Committee of Judges includes:
- Brian Michael Bendis – An award-winning comics creator and bestselling author, he is the co-creator of the Jessica Jones series on Netflix.
- Jeremy Dauber – An author and professor of Jewish literature and American Studies at Columbia University, Dauber also served as director of its Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies.
- Danny Fingeroth (chair) – A writer and editor, who has served as an editor of Spider-Man at Marvel Comics.
- Karen Green – The first curator for comics and cartoons at Columbia University.
- Ken Krimstein – A cartoonist, author, and educator whose work appears in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Chicago Tribune.
- Paul Levitz – Former president of D.C. Comics (2002-2009).
- Chari Pere – An illustrator/storyboard artist and content creator who has written for The Washington Post’s The Lily, and Mad Magazine.
- Alexander Rae – Comic talent coordinator for ReedPop, an event, website, and video content creator.
- Arnon Schor – An Israeli producer and director, best known for The Pirate Captain Toledano, Man of Action! and Glimpse.
- Julian Voloj – A writer who focuses on forgotten heroes and hidden figures, Voloj has been published in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and The Washington Post, among others.
- David Walker – The creator and publisher of The Hated, BadAzz MoFo, Discombobulated, and One Fall, Walker also co-created Bitter Root and Naomi.
Artist Honoree of the Year Nominees:
- Rutu Modan
- Chari Pere
- Typex
- Terri Liebenson
- Liana Finck
- Erez Zadok
- Jorge Miguel
- Jules Feiffer
- Asaf Hanuka
- Rachel Petrowicz
Writer Honoree of the Year Nominees:
- Jules Feiffer
- Dani Colman
- Typex
- Jordan Gorfinkel
- Neil Kleid
- Dan Goldman
- Alisa Kwitney
- Jules Feiffer
- Asaf Hanuka
JewCE is created and hosted by the Center for Jewish History in New York City, which provides a collaborative home for five partner organisations that comprise the world’s largest and most comprehensive archive of the modern Jewish experience outside of Israel. The collections span five thousand years, with more than five miles of archival documents, more than 500,000 volumes, and thousands of artworks, textiles, ritual objects, recordings, films, photographs, and even comic books.
